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Chapter 66 - The child they chose to forget

INT. MILITARY FIELD OFFICE – HIMACHAL PRADESH – NIGHT

The room is dimly lit — old fan creaking above, cold wind slipping through a cracked window.

Ahaan sits at a metal desk, flipping through mission files.

His fingers are steady.

But his mind? Starting to itch.

The junior officer walks in, holding a thin blue folder.

OFFICER:

"Sir, I got one name. No record of the woman. But the man—"

He hands the folder to Ahaan.

OFFICER (cont'd):

"His name's Saif Khan. No official ID. But underground records show past affiliations with gang circles in Mumbai."

Ahaan opens the file.

Photograph.

Details.

But when he sees the name and birth year — his entire body freezes.

His fingers tighten around the folder.

His eyes widen.

A muscle ticks in his jaw.

Because suddenly, it hits him like a bullet to the soul—

He knows that name.

He knows that face.

He's seen it before.

In his father's house.

In his own blood.

Ahaan whispers:

"Saif…"

His voice is hollow. Shaken.

OFFICER (confused):

"Sir?"

Ahaan doesn't respond.

His hand drops the folder slowly.

He stands, almost in disbelief.

His voice is low… trembling with something he can't name.

AHAAN (to himself):

"He's alive."

He turns away from the desk, walking toward the window.

His breath fogs the glass.

Because now… this isn't just a mission.

This is blood.

This is history.

This is unfinished war.

---

INT. FIELD OFFICE – MOMENTS LATER

FLASHBACK – INT. SHEIKH FAMILY HOME – MUMBAI – 30 YEARS AGO

The house is warm. Humble. The living room filled with toys.

Ahaan (2) and Saif (2) run around in diapers, giggling, tripping over cushions, while their mother — Fatima Shaikh — watches from the kitchen doorway, smiling.

FATIMA (calling out):

"Asif, look at them! Like twins, these two!"

ASIF SHAIKH (laughing):

"One blood, one bond."

He ruffles both boys' hair.

They weren't born together.

But they were raised like they were.

Fatima had brought Saif home from the orphanage when Ahaan was still learning to walk.

And since then, the boys had grown like shadows of each other — never apart, never unloved.

FLASH CUT – AGE 6 – LIVING ROOM

Fatima now holds a new baby in her arms — SHARUKH SHAIKH.

Ahaan and Saif peek over the crib, fascinated.

But something has changed.

Fatima gently pulls Saif's hand away from the baby.

FATIMA (softly):

"Not you, beta. Let Ahaan do it."

Saif looks confused… then steps back.

From that day forward — everything changed.

INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT – YEARS AGO

Ahaan sleeps peacefully in his room.

In the hallway — voices. Whispers.

FATIMA (hushed):

"He's not even ours, Asif. Why should we risk Sharukh's future?"

ASIF:

"He's getting wild. He's not like Ahaan."

FATIMA:

"Let him go. He'll survive. He's a survivor."

The next morning, Saif was gone.

---

FLASH TO: PRESENT – INT. FIELD OFFICE – NIGHT

Ahaan's hand trembles as he reads the final page of the file.

The truth is written in ink.

SAIF KHAN

Adopted at age 2 by Asif and Fatima Shaikh

Left home at 7. Reported missing. Later seen among street kids in Mumbai.

No criminal charges.

OFFICER (quietly):

"They told you he left to become a thief?"

Ahaan doesn't respond.

He stares out the window — eyes glassy, breath shallow.

Because now he knows.

He believed a lie.

He hated a brother…

who only ever wanted to be loved.

OFFICER (quietly):

"Sir, should we investigate further?"

AHAAN (coldly):

"No. Let me handle this."

His eyes narrow.

His voice, steel.

AHAAN:

"If he's here…

I'll find him.

Not as an agent.

As a brother."

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